Muslim scholar calls for dialogue

-Notre Dame's Omar condemns violence after cartoon flap.

-Notre Dame's Omar condemns violence after cartoon flap.

February 10, 2006|JOSHUA STOWE Tribune Staff Writer

SOUTH BEND -- The publishing of controversial Danish cartoons and the violent reactions to them reveal a profound need for dialogue, a local Muslim scholar said on Thursday. A. Rashied Omar said the recent events are the product of a highly volatile environment that people can change by communicating across religious and cultural divides in order to glimpse their common humanity. He cited several local examples of such dialogue, including an interfaith women's group and a seminar series, both of which promote conversation and understanding between Christians and Muslims. "I think small little instances like these need to be initiated all over the country, all over the world, at the grassroots level," said Omar, an imam who coordinates the Program in Religion, Conflict, and Peacebuilding at the University of Notre Dame's Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies. "These are the bits of hope that are so much needed in the challenging times in which we live," he said, "when things seem so bleak and violent." In addition to highlighting the need for dialogue, he repeatedly condemned recent acts of violence and offered his analysis of the tensions surrounding the cartoon protests. A volatile context Violent reactions to the caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad that were published in Denmark's Jyllands-Posten and reprinted in other newspapers haven't occurred in a vacuum, Omar said. For one thing, he said, it's important to realize that while protests of the cartoons have swept across Europe, where there are significant Muslim communities, acts of violence have occurred in "conflict zones." One such zone is in Afghanistan, he said, which is occupied by the U.S. military. Another is in Iran, where the regime's perceived nuclear ambitions have exacerbated tensions. Omar said the violence, while unjustified, also stems from frustrations that could be vented legitimately through nonviolent protests. Those frustrations have come partly in response to the disrespectful nature of the caricatures, Omar said. One represented Muhammad wearing a bomb, its fuse burning, for a turban. Another cartoon showed Muhammad in heaven, greeting a group of newly arrived suicide bombers with the following words: "Stop, stop, we ran out of virgins!" But in addition to being angered by those degrading portraits, Omar said, Muslims are also taken aback by any depiction of Muhammad, since neither he nor any of Islam's other prophets are supposed to be represented. A need for empathy The decision to publish the cartoons in such a climate demonstrates a lack of perspective and empathy, Omar said, adding that journalists should balance freedom of speech with respect for other cultures and concern for the sanctity of human life. "You're touching real hot issues," he said. "So I do think that it was irresponsible in this climate to publish that." But Muslims should refrain from a violent response, he said, adding that a story about Muhammad's compassion can serve as an example. As the story goes, Muhammad had a bitter enemy who dumped trash each day in front of his dwelling. One day, Muhammad awoke and found no trash. He discovered his enemy was too sick to taunt him, and decided to visit the man. That's the sort of empathy Muslims can show in the current situation, Omar said. The journalists who printed the offensive cartoons don't represent the entire profession, he said, just as suicide bombers don't represent Islam. "I really think that out of these very tragic incidents, I would want to call for dialogue between journalists and religious leaders to discuss this," he said, adding that such communication should be part of a broader, intercultural dialogue. "You can present your point of view about freedom of speech, and I can present my theological perspective," he said. "And we can, in a harmonious and amicable way, find each other."Staff writer Joshua Stowe: jstowe@sbtinfo.com (574) 235-6359